Diego Came Home
by icyfire
Summary: Los Angeles began to change for the better the day Don Diego came home from Spain. Several characters think about Diego's return during "The Legend Begins" episode(s).


Title: Diego Came Home

Author: icyfire

Rating: K+ for one (mild) dirty word.

Summary: Los Angeles began to change for the better the day _Don _Diego came home from Spain. Several characters think about Diego's return during "The Legend Begins" episode(s).

Author's Notes: Well, I was going to cheat and just write one little short story for "The Legend Begins" but then thought it really deserves four since it is four episodes. Somehow the four merged into the five sections of this fic. There really were a lot of unanswered questions in those episodes.

Author's Notes (9 years later): I haven't been writing fanfic for almost a decade now, but lately I've been reading a lot of it and getting the old itch. When I went into my old "Drafts" folder, I found a few fics that were basically complete, but I don't believe I ever posted them. So I've decided to upload them.

I apologize for the lack of beta, but I've been out of fandoms for so long, I don't even know where to look for one.

ZZZ

Camila tried to hide her smile from him, but _Don_ Alejandro noticed. He returned her smile and pulled his hands away from the vase he had been repositioning. He'd been a bundle of nerves since receiving the message that Diego's ship had arrived safely.

His son was coming home.

He turned a critical eye to his surroundings, noting the gleaming of the freshly polished furniture and the smell of lemon and vinegar wafting through the air from newly cleaned windows. The servants had the house in perfect order, of course. They always did, but they had taken special care to make sure that Diego came home to a welcoming _hacienda_. No amount of meddling by Alejandro would make it any better.

He sighed and looked out the window again. Diego's carriage was still not on the horizon.

What would Diego think of the Los Angeles he was returning to today? He knew his son had not been part of much of the politics of the area before he left. Alejandro made certain of that fact himself. He wanted his son to concentrate on his studies and the _ranchero_. Now, no one, not even Diego, could ignore the politics. To do so could lead to disaster.

Perhaps he shouldn't even come home. Alejandro sighed. Every piece of his heart protested against that idea, but he knew it would be safer. Diego could stay in the center of that scientific revolution of his, but in a moment of weakness, Alejandro sent the letter asking his old friend if he believed Diego was ready to come home.

Diego sent the reply himself, letting him know that he would return as soon as his current semester finished. Alejandro's heart had lifted, knowing that perhaps his son could now take some of the burden on to his shoulders. Just before he sent his last letter to Sir Edmund, Alejandro faced one of the darkest times in his life.

He watched a friend die with a rope on his neck for a crime Alejandro knew he was innocent of committing. But Ramone had rushed his show trial, and Pedro paid the price. His wife had been sobbing in the guest room as Alejandro wrote that letter.

Now his son was coming home to face some of that same danger.

He saw Felipe lean forward over the wall, straining to see some sign of Diego. The boy had been bouncing on his toes all morning, barely able to eat his breakfast. He spent the last two hours out in the sun anxiously watching for his old friend to come home. Felipe had been a more faithful correspondent to his son than even he had been.

He'd missed Diego. While he anxiously read every letter, he found it difficult to reply. Usually words came so easily to him, but he hated to let his son know how much he was missed. Diego deserved a few years to himself, being responsible for only himself, before he returned to take his place in society. He didn't need to worry about a lonely old man back home.

As much as he tried to hide it, Diego must've known. He made a point to keep his letters fun, filled with details, but Alejandro noticed that a good portion was omitted. Sir Edmund, for one. Diego never talked about him, and the fact he didn't spoke volumes to Alejandro.

His boy found a mentor in the other man and hadn't wanted to hurt his father by admitting as much. While thankful that Diego found his old friend to be someone he could look up to in Spain, he had been pleased that Diego's letters weren't filled with "Sir Edmund did this" and "Sir Edmund said this".

It had been hard enough reading about Diego's growing relationship with Felicidad's father. His father-in-law is a great man, and Alejandro was pleased that Diego got a chance to know his grandfather. But he had to admit to a little jealousy that someone else was filling his role at such an important juncture of his son's life.

Sir Edmund had, of course, kept him updated. He bragged about Diego applying himself to learning the blade. He even said that the young man was one of his best students! Alejandro knew his son though. Diego would make a valiant effort, but his strength was his brain more than his body.

He frowned as he remembered sitting outside Pedro's cell that horribly long night waiting for a wretched dawn. Pedro, who had been Alejandro's foreman for years, mentioned Diego, along with his own sons, helped turn all the hairs on his head white. Alejandro had enquired what he meant, and Pedro had chewed on his lip before answering. "After _Doña _Elena got so sick, _Don_ Diego always wanted to protect you from worrying."

The conversation had somehow changed to memories of Elena—only Alejandro referred to her as Felicidad, and Alejandro never had the chance to find out what Pedro meant. Diego wasn't the kind of boy that pushed boundaries. He was kind and polite, and he always listened to his parents. He knew that Elena's illness had been a burden to such a young boy, but Diego never complained in all the years as they stood watching her getting weaker. And he never did anything that would turn his father's hair white.

He was more likely to be lost in a book than he was to get lost into mischief.

Hearing a small scraping sound, he turned and caught Camila rearranging the vase he'd tried to move earlier. She smiled, obviously embarrassed about being caught. He simply returned her smile. The servants were as excited by Diego's homecoming as he was. They wanted the _hacienda_ just as perfect.

Alejandro returned his attention to scene outside the window. Felipe lifted up on his toes, and leaned so far forward that Alejandro worried for a moment that he was going to go over the wall face first. He pulled back, bounced on his toes twice before pivoting and racing towards the house.

Chuckling, Alejandro clapped his hands together and turned to leave the room. Felipe slid to a stop in front of him, panting slightly from the speed he'd just exerted. He continued to bounce on his toes as he motioned that Diego's carriage was arriving.

Alejandro placed his hands on Felipe's shoulders, making the younger man stop moving. "Breathe, Felipe. I know you're excited to see Diego. I am, too." Alejandro took in a deep breath and struggled to control his own excitement. His son was home! "Let me take a look at you."

Felipe turned his head towards the door, but remained still, letting Alejandro inspect him. Alejandro's memory might not be what it once was, but he was certain the boy in front of him had been much smaller when Diego left. Had it really been so long ago? Felipe had gone through a growth spurt in the last few weeks, and Alejandro could see the start of a young man in the way he stood. His shoulders were starting to broaden, and the baby fat of yesterday was a memory.

Chocolate eyes pleaded with him. "Yes, Felipe, let's go welcome that son of mine home."

Turning together, they walked out into the bright sun. Diego's carriage rattled as it pulled in front of the garden. His son didn't wait for it to stop before jumping out, but he did take the time to thank the carriage driver. How like that son of his. Always so polite and well behaved.

Blinking back tears that he blamed on the bright sun, Alejandro drew his son into a tight hug and wished he could hold him like he did when Diego was a child. But his was an adult now. Felipe wasn't the only one who had grown over the years. Diego was no longer almost a man; he was a man, with a man's height and muscles. "Well, they put some meat on you, I see."

"And filled my head with ideas as well," his son replied. Had is voice been that deep when he left? Alejandro smiled, glad to know that Spain hadn't changed Diego too much. As it had been before he left, Diego worried more about his mind than his body. The yearning he felt to hear all about those ideas surprised Alejandro. He really had missed his son.

"Who's this?" Diego said, pointing to Felipe. The twinkle in his son's eyes told Alejandro that the boy hadn't changed that much since Diego left. It suddenly seemed like it was only yesterday that they had teamed up to tease Felipe. They quickly fell into the old routine, which ended with Diego holding Felipe close—when had that boy grown so tall?

"Any change?" Diego asked that question in every single letter home. Alejandro knew he kept praying for a miracle, but miracles were few and far between in Los Angeles.

Alejandro's yearned to offer a different reply this time. "Boy still can't hear a thing, Diego."

Ramone chose that moment to prance his soldiers in front of the _hacienda_. The sound of horse hoofs beating into the ground almost drowned out Diego's "What's all this?"

There had been a time in the not so distant past when the sign of soldiers riding in front of the _hacienda_ had been a warning of danger brewing. Diego raised his voice. "What's all this about?"

Alejandro's heart sank. He wanted to curse the _alcalde_ for ruining one of the few pleasant moments he'd had in months. "That's why I sent for you," he had to admit.

They entered the _hacienda_ with a heavier atmosphere than Alejandro wanted, but Diego quickly regained his equilibrium, blissfully unaware of the horrors Ramone had done to his homeland and its people. He draped his cloak over the piano bench and tinkled with the keys. He declared it good to be home.

Alejandro smiled, remembering a young boy coming home after a summer spent with his aunt and uncle. That Diego had raced from room to room as if to remind himself what his home looked like or perhaps to be certain that everything was where it was supposed to be. He thought a part of Diego today wanted to behave in the same way.

"It's good to have you home," he admitted, wishing he could grab him and swing him up the air like he did that long ago day.

Diego asked several questions about Victoria, and Alejandro admitted that she had become quite a business woman since inheriting the tavern. Then, he turned the conversation to what had been burdening him for months. "The _caballeros_ are looking forward to seeing you in the _pueblo_. We are going to need all the men we can get."

Revolution. Such a nasty word. It burned Alejandro's tongue, but he couldn't see a future without it anymore as long as Ramone remained _alcalde_.

Reluctantly, Alejandro picked up his homecoming gift for Diego. He's ordered it months ago, thinking it would be a fitting graduation gift for his son. Now instead of being an item of pleasure, Alejandro knew his gift was of necessity. Diego might even need that gift to stay alive.

He handed it to Diego with a heavy heart.

Diego blinked when he uncovered a sword and sheath. "A man must to be able to take care of himself," Alejandro explained.

"The _pueblo_ is secure. Those soldiers outside seemed rather well trained," his son said.

Soldiers. Alejandro's heart beat in fury at hearing that word to describe those jackals. Military men were supposed to be men of honor, men who were willing to die for love of country. These animals were about power and money. "They don't protect our people; they exploit them."

Flashes of a young Diego played threw his mind. He'd always been lost in a book. And in spite of Sir Edmund's praise, he knew his son wasn't a physical man. "You can handle that?"

Diego whisks the sword out its sheath with an ease that Alejandro admired. "It's rather light."

"It's a beginner's weight." Alejandro was reminded of the time Diego tried to climb a tree in the back pasture. Pedro had been the one to carry the bruised boy into the _hacienda_. Diego had been gasping, still trying to regain his breath. Elena, exhausted and drained from the beginnings of an illness of which she had then been unaware, had started to sob. Diego had jumped from Pedro's arms and began to comfort his mother.

"Just don't hurt yourself with it, that's all," he said. Diego always hated to be injured or ill, and his parents had always hated to see it. Perhaps a sword hadn't been the best choice of gift.

Diego looked mildly uncomfortable, and Alejandro remembered his failure to mention Sir Edmund in a single letter. "I know," he said, putting his hand on Diego's shoulder. He quickly squeezed it, offering reassurances. "You didn't have time to complete your studies with Sir Edmund. Well, we'll just have to the best we can."

He took few steps away, leaving Diego with his gift. "Why don't you wash up? Felipe will bring you a cool drink in your room while your luggage is unpacked. Then, we can go to the tavern."

He turned to see Diego smiling at the small sword. Yes, his bookish son had never cared much for the rough play that most boys partake in. He grinned and again welcomes his son back home.

The burden that had been weighing him down for so long did feel a little lighter. Maybe it was just the idea of having someone by his side while he fought the _alcalde_ for justice, but something told him that having Diego home was going to change everything.

ZZZ

Diego de la Vega was coming home today. Over the last few days, _Don _Alejandro had waited anxiously for news. He knew that it was a little early but he told Victoria that if the ship caught a good fast wind, Diego would be home soon. Apparently his hopes had been answered. One of the de la Vega ranch hands had told her that _Don_ Alejandro received a messenger earlier, stating that _Don_ Diego's ship was docking.

So Diego de la Vega was coming home today. Victoria didn't know what to think or feel about that news. He was an enigma. They'd never really had the time to know one another. He came to the _pueblo_ rarely. Sundays for church of course, but most of the time he remained on de la Vega land learning with his tutor. When she had seen him, he'd often teased her to the point she wanted to stomp her foot. On his toes.

Her dear Papa had only laughed when she complained. "Oh, Victoria, don't worry. He's only pulling your pig tails." Which confused her even more because she never wore her hair in pig tails, and Diego was at least too much of a gentleman to actually cause her physical pain.

Then there had been that night right before he left. It had been magical. She had worn the dress of a woman for the first time. No longer a little girl, she'd been allowed to go to the dance celebrating the harvest . . .

He seemed stunned to see her amongst all the party goers. "Victoria! I thought—"

She glared up at him. His latest growth spurt had made him one of the tallest men in the room. "You thought what?"

Shaking his head, he smiled. "I'm just surprised that your father and brothers are letting you out of their sight."

She looked over her shoulder then to where her father was pouring a glass of lemonade, somehow watching her while never taking his eyes off his customer. Then she glanced up to where Ramôn was talking to a beautiful s_eñorita_ who was visiting her uncle. He was totally immersed in the conversation, except for the part of him that was watching her every move. And, then Fra—

Diego laughed, understanding without her having to say a word. "They will attack like hungry animals if they think someone doesn't show you respect."

"Indeed," she said, stopping herself from rolling her eyes by sheer force of will. Being the only female in a house full of men was a challenge in more ways than one. She wondered if her mother would've allowed them to be so overprotective if she had lived.

"Will you dance with me?"

Heat filled her face, followed by a little bit of anger. Not at him. At herself for suddenly being shy. "You want to dance with me?"

"_Si, Señorita_," he said with a grin while looking around the entire room. "I'm selfish."

She frowned. "Selfish?"

"I want to keep the attention of the most beautiful woman in the room."

She laughed. Diego always teased her, but instead making her angry tonight, it helped to relax her. She allowed him to lead her out on the dance floor. Before tonight, she'd only danced with Ramôn, who had a nasty tendency to step on toes.

Diego on the other hand made her feel as if she were floating on air. The music filled her ears, and Diego's hands were warm. He led with ease, and for once she could easily follow. She closed her eyes for a moment, imagining herself to be a fairy tale princess.

The music stopped, and the dance was over. Victoria returned to reality. She didn't even have a glass slipper to lose. Fairy tales were for little girls, and she wasn't a little girl anymore.

Looking around the room, she noticed that there were several young ladies awaiting Diego's attention. Those ladies were the daughters of wealthy de la Vega neighbors. They were perfect women who would make perfect wives for the de la Vega heir. The skin of their fingers was smooth, unlike hers.

She kept her head high as Diego led her off the dance floor. She turned and expected him to kiss her hand before excusing himself. To her surprise, he moved to stand beside her. The most handsome man in the room, son of the wealthiest _caballero_ in the area, and he stayed by her side. Benita, a viper who pretended to be sickeningly sweet to males but was a witch to other females, shot her a venomous look. Victoria knew she was going to savor the memory of that look for at least a week.

A horrifying thought struck her. She turned her gaze to her father, expecting to see him frowning at a male spending so much time with her, but instead she noticed that he was actually laughing and talking with an old friend. Her brothers also seemed to be more relaxed.

Her stomach dropped. She might be imagining that she was having a magical night but her father and brothers knew better. Diego was an honorable de le Vega. And an honorable de la Vegas would never dishonor a respectable female. And of course they would never marry the daughter of a tavern owner, no matter that they were close friends. So the Escalates were unconcerned by the de la Vega heir talking to the only female in their family. He wasn't flirting with her, no matter what Victoria thought.

"You're losing your smile," Diego said, recalling her back to the party. Marriage! She wouldn't even be 15 until next month, and she didn't even like Diego. Not in that way. "Why don't I get us some lemonade? We can go outside and rest."

Victoria smiled her agreement, which surprised her. When she had finally procured her father's permission to come to this dance, she'd thought she wouldn't want to miss a moment. Now she wanted nothing more than to sit outside and talk to Diego.

The air was cool but not as cool as the lemonade. She drank it faster than she should and then blushed at her unlady-like behavior. Diego however seemed unconcerned. He only smiled and continued to look out at the small _pueblo_ that was their home.

They were sitting in the corner of the porch, away from all the hustle and bustle at the door. Several _caballeros_ sat at the only other table, but it had been pushed closer to the door earlier. A few courting couples were walking out in the road in front of frowning papas. But even with all the people about, it felt as if they were alone.

"I'm going to miss it."

"Are you?" Victoria asked, surprised. Diego was going to Spain. Madrid! The center of the world. No more sleepy little _pueblo_ for him. He'd be surrounded by the most beautiful women attired in the most fashionable dresses. He'd be able to meet the King, being a distant relative. He could read books and hear compositions months before they made their way to Los Angeles.

"It's home," he said simply before taking another sip of lemonade.

Victoria looked at the dusty road, the small little buildings surrounding her family's tavern. She knew every single person milling about here on the porch and out in the moonlit road. And as exciting as Madrid sounded, she knew she didn't want to leave Los Angeles. Not even for a few years. Not that she would ever have that option; her family would never be able to afford a ticket to Spain.

"So why are you going?" she hated the hint of a whine she heard in her voice.

"Father insisted." He smiled at her. "And I know he's right. I need to spend time away from him and the ranch becoming my own man. I'm just going to miss being here."

Why was she wishing he would say that he would miss her? He was the boy who liked to tease her, and it didn't matter that he was being nice to her right now. Or that her tummy fluttered when he smiled at her. Or that she was forgetting to breathe when his eyes met hers.

He was smiling at her now. "You'll probably be married when I return."

"Probably." Her father had married her mother when she was fifteen. "If Father will allow anyone close enough to court me."

Diego took another sip of his lemonade. "You deserve a brave man. One who would fight for you."

"Brave? Challenging my father might be the act of a foolish man," she replied with a laugh.

Diego's smile left as he looked back at the door. "Father's worried about him."

She blinked back the sudden moister that appeared in her eyes. "I am, too," she whispered. She wouldn't even admit that to her brothers.

Diego laid his hand on hers and squeezed. Her heart started pounding. "He's a good man."

"He hasn't been the same since _Mamá _died."

Diego shook his head. "No, he hasn't. He's been mingling with some—"

"Yes, I know," she said. She'd argued with him just last week about his new friends. Snakes, all of them. Her father wanted revolution so badly that he ignored the warning signs that his new friends were dangerous. Ramôn stayed silent not wanting to create problems with their father. Francisco on the other hand argued with him constantly. Victoria knew that her brother was considering the army, and she dreaded the day that her father found out. The rafters on the roof would have to be replaced after that blow-up. Hopefully father and son would still be talking afterwards.

"He blames the King for Mother's death."

Diego was silent for a moment. He leaned forward and said in a low voice, "I'm not certain that he's wrong to feel that way."

She gasped, drawing the attention of the _caballeros_ at the table beside them, and _Don_ Sebastian frowned his disapproval. She looked suitably chastised and the old men returned to discussing cattle futures. "Diego, you're father would be horrified if he heard you speak so."

"Probably," Diego admitted, shrugging off her concern. "But Father has somehow managed to stay friends with your father all these years."

"Yes, he has." _Don_ Alejandro was probably the greatest man in the entire territory. Not because of the size of his land, which was considerable. Not because of the cash he had, even though that was considerable, too. Not even because he was a distant relation to the King who had married another distant relation to the King. No, he was the unofficial leader of Los Angeles because of his ability to be friends with everyone, no matter what their walk of life.

"She was a wonderful woman," Diego said.

It took her a moment to realize he meant her mother. "Yes, she was."

"And the King's men killed her for showing compassion." The fury in those words surprised her. Diego was the most reasonable person in the entire _pueblo_. His father had not passed on his considerable temper.

The de la Vegas had not been in the _pueblo_ the day the soldiers had dragged her mother out of the tavern by her hair. She had treated a dying revolutionary with kindness, treating his wounds and easing his pain. She cared nothing about politics, but she cared about being a good person. A soldier had caught her giving the man comfort, and her death had been swift.

For a brief moment, her family united in their grief. Then they had shattered. Father kept talking revolution. He'd become a man who thought he could save the world from pain if he could only rid it of kings. Ramôn lost himself in loving any _señorita_ who crossed his path. And Francisco? He'd started to believe in rules. Rules were made to keep everyone safe.

"Francisco would tell you that she was killed for breaking the law." She barely managed to spit those words out.

"He is a young man trying to figure out his place in the world, Victoria. He knows he doesn't want to be like his father, but he doesn't know how to do that yet without rejecting everything he stands for."

Victoria bit her lip and reminded herself that she was supposed respect to those who were above her in the social hierarchy. Diego chuckled and held up his hands. "I'm not saying he's right, Victoria. I'm saying he's trying to figure things out. Become his own man. It's easy to forget compassion and common sense when you're struggling to forge your own path."

"I'm afraid he and Father—"

Diego nodded. "It's often that way between father and son. They raise us to be our own men and then get angry when we become what they raised us to be."

"You and _Don_ Alejandro don't fight."

"No," Diego admitted. "We don't. But it's different."

"How?"

He starred in her eyes before taking a deep breath and admitting, "I don't want to worry him."

"Diego, you can't stop a father from worrying."

"Yes, you can," he said. His smile held a hint of old pain. "You can make sure he never hears of you doing anything foolish. You don't let him see bruises from falls."

"Diego—"

"He doesn't need to worry. He carries enough weight on his shoulders."

She shook her head. She couldn't imagine hiding herself away from the people she loved. "You shouldn't lie to him."

"I don't lie, really. I just don't tell him about studying about Oliver Cromwell and Napoleon."

She managed to hide her gasp this time. "Diego, they killed Kings!"

"Well, Napoleon didn't kill the French King," Diego whispered leaning forward. "I've also read the works of Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson."

"Who?"

"Some of the leaders of our easterly neighbors' rebellion."

She knew her eyes had to be as wide as half her face. "Diego, you're father would be—"

"Horrified, yes. But I need to make up my own mind. I loved your mother. She treated me as if I were one of her own. If I did something wrong, she would blister me with her tongue."

Victoria laughed, remember a few times she was "blistered" by that tongue. "You love her for that?"

Diego looked down, suddenly interested in his hands. "She treated me just as she treated everyone else."

Victoria had never considered the other side. It was difficult to live in a world where the wealthy lived by different rules. She never thought about the fact that those rules bound the wealthy just as tightly as they bound her, even if they were different rules.

"Because the King's men shot her, you started studying—"

"Ideas for governments without Kings." Diego kept his voice soft. Even for a de la Vega such thoughts were dangerous. "I'll send you the books before I leave. I think you will find them interesting. And maybe you can help your father get some ideas that he can use without—"

He stopped and she finished for him. "Getting himself killed? I don't know, Diego. I think Father is too determined, too lost in his grief. After Francisco joins the army, I don't think it will be long before Father leaves us." _Leaves me_.

"I'll send them anyway."

"Diego, I'm a girl," she reminded him. A part of her was eager to read the radical ideas that Diego was discussing tonight, but she reminded herself that her brothers were always teasing her about her reading. And Sebastian, the blacksmith's son, had frowned when she told him she understood loan interest and could calculate it for him.

"So?"

"We're not as smart as you boys." Although Victoria personally thought she was smarter than Ramôn and Francisco. She'd always found reading and writing and math easier than they did. Her mother, who had learned from a nun, had insisted that she be taught along with her brothers.

Diego's eyes flashed, laying bare the lie that he didn't get angry. "Victoria Escalante, you are smarter than both your brothers. You are smarter than most of the men of this _pueblo_. Don't you dare pretend to be less than you are!"

Her heart started pounding again. And breathing was a struggle. Diego, probably the smartest man in the entire _pueblo,_ thought she was smart. She could talk to him, debate issues, and discuss books. She sighed, letting her shoulders slump. Diego was leaving, and there wasn't anyone else like him in the territory. "Men don't like smart women."

"Maybe most don't. I don't know. My father did though, and I do. And a man worthy of you would like a woman to challenge him."

Her stomach had that odd flutter again. "Do you truly think so?"

"Yes, I do." Their eyes met. "Promise me, Victoria. You won't marry a man who isn't worthy of you."

"I promise," she whispered, wondering if she was going _loco_ in the moonlight. She almost felt as if she'd just promised to wait for Diego to return home.

"I loved your mother, too," she admitted.

"Oh?"

"Because she treated me as if I were special." Victoria wondered if he could see the tears that were being to form in her eyes. "One time, she—"

"Diego! What are you doing out here? You need to be saying your goodbyes," _Don _Alejandro said as he strolled over to their table. He nodded his hellos to several of his friends as he passed.

"Sorry, Father, but Victoria was hot and thirsty and then we started talking about _Mamá_."

Alejandro smiled and his eyes softened. Victoria almost sighed. The most powerful man in the area could still be brought to his knees with his love for his bride. Everyone knew it. He adored her, and even death had not softened that love.

Victoria realized that Diego had done exactly as he said he did. He told his father the truth of their conversation but not the whole truth. "Yes, I was telling Diego about her letting me wear her jewelry once. She put so many different pieces on me. I felt like a princess." Diego had been making her feel like one all night.

His eyes burned into her. "I know you were beautiful, Victoria."

"_Mamá_ was about to faint, I think. But _Doña_ Elena told her that jewels were meant to accessory beauty, and they weren't doing their job lying in a box. I felt so special," she admitted.

"Knowing my wife, Victoria, she enjoyed that day even more than you did. She adored our son." Diego blushed. "But she did yearn for a little girl. You gave her a little girl to spoil, and I know she loved it. She always enjoyed every moment she spent with you."

Victoria laughed and blinked back tears. "Thank you."

_Don_ Alejandro leaned forward. "We should all head back inside. We don't want to give the gossips any ammunition."

"Of course, Father." Diego stood and offered her his hand. He helped her stand, but Alejandro was the one who walked in with her on his arm. She looked around the room. The floor was filled with people dancing, while others lined around the wall talking with friends. She noticed Isabella sitting in a chair in a corner. Her friend had a beautiful face but her mother insisted on dressing her in all the wrong colors and fabrics. And her shyness was so severe it was painful-not only for Isabella, but for the person attempting to have a conversation with her.

Diego's eyes followed hers. Like earlier, he understood what she was thinking without her saying a word. He excused himself from her and his father before walking over to Isabella. Victoria kept an eye on them while she danced with _Don_ Alejandro. To her surprise, Diego managed to get Isabella to stand up and accompany him to the dance floor . . .

It had been the most magical night of Victoria's life. She considered it precious even though it belonged in a fairy tale. She smiled as she remembered that Isabella had danced four more dances than even Benita. She'd been the belle of the ball that night. She had slowly come out of her cocoon after, like a beautiful butterfly. She found a wonderful man to marry within a year, and she now had one son and was expecting another child soon.

Diego had done a wonderful thing that night. He had been an impeccable man, a true example of a gentleman. His books were upstairs, carefully read and reread. They had arrived the next day from the de la Vega _hacienda_, and she lost herself in them while her family fell apart around her. By the next harvest dance, her father and both her brothers had left Los Angeles, leaving her alone to run the tavern.

Diego de la Vega was coming home today, and she wasn't married as she assumed she would be all those years ago. Not because no one asked, but because she had taken Diego's words to heart. She would not settle for a man who wanted her to be quiet. She would not be married for her tavern. She wanted a man worthy of her.

Which had been no man currently in Los Angeles.

She shook her head as she remembered the feeling that she was promising Diego to wait for him. Life was not a fairy tale, and she was not a secret princess waiting for the prince to rescue her.

"Victoria?" Teresa's gentle voice reminded Victoria that she had a tavern to run. She couldn't worry about Diego. It might even be a few days before he came to Los Angeles. He might want to stay home for awhile getting his land legs back.

Sighing, Victoria shook her head and picked up the pitcher. The tavern was full of hungry soldiers and she was busy day dreaming about a man outside of her reach. Madrid was sure to have changed him. She doubted he would even admit to reading Paine! Surely being that close to the Crown for so many years would have driven away any of those rebellious thoughts.

She quickly took orders, waiting to take Corporal Santiago's order last. The man was new to the area, but she already didn't like or trust him. Everything about him set her teeth on edge. The fact he seemed to be a favorite of Ramone's only confirmed her suspensions of him as far as she was concerned.

The corporal's order was one she had no intentions of filling. "My only hunger is for your affections, _Señorita_."

She rolled her eyes and managed to keep herself from shuddering. Her father taught her a long time ago to never show fear, because animals sensed it. "I do not fraternize with my customers." The smart side of her brain told her to stop there, but the side of her brain still shivering in revulsion didn't listen. "Especially when they wear uniforms."

The louse put his hands on her! He began to rub her belly, and Victoria kept reminding herself that she could not show her fear. "This is just not any uniform. This is the uniform of the colonial military government. You should be flattered."

"Then why am I disgusted," she said with a smile as she poured freshly squeezed lemonade on to his head to cool him down.

He let her go as his friends laughed. She wanted to race upstairs and pour pitcher after pitcher of water on herself. She wanted to erase the stench of his touch from her body. She put down the pitcher on a nearby table and lost the ability to breath.

He was home. He was here, in her tavern, and even more handsome than she remembered. He was a Greek god come to life. She struggled to talk, to find words. She noticed that he now wore the sword of a _caballero_ on his side, proof that Madrid had changed him. Her gentle Diego would never have worn a sword.

_Don _Alejandro reminded her that whatever small dreams she'd had of marrying Diego were impossible. "Diego's returned to resume his proper place in the community." Proper place with a proper wife. Not her.

_Don_ Alejandro walked away, and Victoria noticed that even Diego seemed to be struggling to find words. He said that his father was a popular man. Victoria knew that she had to tell him how wonderful _Don_ Alejandro had been. "Courageous, too." Talking about Alejandro, she said, "You should hear how he speaks out to the _alcalde_."

She kept talking even as a hand grabbed her arm and yanked her away from Diego. "You owe me an apology," Corporal Santiago snarled at her. Apparently the teasing from his friends had gotten too rough for his delicate self-worth.

Diego, her hero, saved her. He forced Santiago to let her go. "The _senorita_ said let go!"

He almost challenged the corporal to a dual, which awed her. When he almost challenged the _alcalde_ to one, she almost swooned. _Don_ Alejandro would no longer be alone in challenging the _alcalde_. Diego had become the man she knew he could be.

Los Angeles would be different now that Diego de la Vega was home.

But she quickly forgot about Diego when Ramone arrested her and a mysterious man wearing a black mask strolled out of the night to rescue her. He challenged Ramone and stole her heart.

ZZZ

Felipe hated change. Hated it with a burning fury that surprised him. Most of the time, he was a calm and happy person. He didn't get angry like _Don_ Alejandro about much in life. But change infuriated him.

_Don_ Alejandro recently decided that Felipe needed a new chest of drawers. His new clothes, in the same style as the old except bigger, no longer fit in the old one. It was a beautiful piece, carefully made by Camila's son. Felipe knew he should love it, but he hated it. Its large shadow draped over his bed in the moonlight.

But there was one change about to happen that thrilled Felipe. _Don_ Diego was coming home. While Felipe adored _Don_ Alejandro, he felt closer to _Don_ Diego even after all these years. He was the one who had picked up a frightened young boy and brought him home. He'd even let the little boy sleep in his room for months until Felipe was finally comfortable in his own bed.

And even though the _caballero_ had promised to write before he left, Felipe hadn't really believed him. While he didn't totally understand the University concept, he knew that Diego was supposed to be busy and that there would be a lot to do in Spain. Diego had even showed him maps and talked about all the places that existed in Madrid.

But Diego had written. Although the mail arrived sporadically, there had been a letter for Felipe for every month the young man had been gone. He'd written Felipe even when he hadn't written _Don_ Alejandro. Felipe had been surprised at first, but he noticed that _Don_ Alejandro never seemed upset that he got more letters. He only smiled and handed them over.

Later, Felipe wondered if Diego had understood how his absence affected his father. As much as _Don_ Alejandro smiled when he received one of Diego's letters, he'd also brood for days afterwards. Not where people could see. Felipe knew because he lived with him, and because he spent the late nights in the library quietly offering support as Alejandro stared into the fire.

The letters brought the old man comfort, but they also reminded him how much he missed his son. Felipe understood. He missed _Don_ Diego just as much. But he loved the letters. He made sure to write back each and every time. He knew the first letters had to have been hard for Diego to read. His writing hadn't been the best at a young age, even with the aid of his tutor.

_Don_ Diego's tutor hadn't stayed to teach Felipe. From what he could understand from the reactions of the adults and from trying to read their lips, the old man hadn't wanted to waste himself teaching a servant. _Don_ Diego had even called the man a snob! Felipe hadn't cared. He didn't like the old man anyway, and Enrique was nice and local. He didn't live in the _hacienda _with him, and the money he earned helped take care of his family.

Felipe wiped his brow. The sun was beating down on him. He knew he should move closer to the _hacienda_ and rest in the shade, but he wanted to be able to see. He leaned forward, scanning the horizon.

Nothing. _Don_ Diego was still not home. He leaned forward just a little more, and—

A carriage! It had to be _Don_ Diego's! Felipe barely managed to contain his excitement. He raced as fast as he could into the _hacienda_ where he found a happy _Don _Alejandro waiting for him. The old man made him relax, and examined him with a critical eye. Felipe didn't take it personally. He noticed that _Don_ Alejandro and ever servant had been making sure that everything was perfect for _Don_ Diego's return.

_Don_ Diego embraced his father as soon as they met in the garden. He asked the old man who Felipe was, but Felipe wasn't a kid anymore. He knew they were only teasing him now. He played along, and _Don_ Diego told him to, "Give me a hug before you're too big to hold!"

He'd rushed into _Don_ Diego's arms, remembering the comfort he'd felt years ago when he'd been picked up off of a battle field. Somehow he managed not to flinch when the young _caballero_ took advantage of the hug to ask his father if there had been any change. _Don _Alejandro told _Don_ Diego, "The boy still can't hear a thing."

Old guilt almost choked him. He knew his hearing was important to the de le Vegas but especially to _Don_ Diego. He'd asked in every one of his letters to his father. Felipe had sneaked into _Don_ Alejandro's room and read them. But he loved the de la Vegas so much, and he wanted to be close to them, and he knew he'd be treated differently if he could hear.

So he kept quiet and let no one know. Life would be so much simpler if everyone knew. But when struggling with the all the noise, trying to understand what was happening, and struggling to understand the language as sounds instead of the shape of lips, he'd heard the kitchen staff talking about him once. Ivette, one of the cooks, said that the de la Vegas would send him out to work with the ranch hands if he ever regained his hearing.

So, he kept it secret, even from _Don_ Diego, the man who had saved him. Now that the man stood in front of him, he was afraid he was going to choke on it.

Hours later, it was _Don_ Diego he was trying to comfort in the library. Diego being home had brought change but not the type anyone wanted. _Don_ Alejandro was now stuck in the _alcalde_'s jail. He was a vile man. Felipe knew to watch out for him and stayed well out of his way when he went to the _pueblo_ on his own.

Struck by a sudden inspiration, Felipe dragged _Don_ Diego into the escape route the _caballero _showed him earlier. After the de la Vega's had left for the _pueblo_, Felipe had decided to do some dusting there when he had discovered a beautiful fox waiting for him. He'd left the fox alone, and then soon after _Don _Diego returned with news that his father had been arrested.

"A fox!" Diego squatted down. "It's amazing with everyone hunting them for their beautiful pelts that those beautiful creatures of the night manage to survive."

Felipe signed that it was their cunning and intelligence that protected them from hunters. Diego agreed, easily reading Felipe's hand signals. He patted the boy on the back, and they rose together. Felipe was turning to walk back to the _hacienda_ when a whine filled the air.

To his horror, Felipe flinched and turned towards the sound. He'd managed not to even react to the _alcalde_'s soldiers firing their muskets in training, but he'd overreacted to a sad fox!

_Don_ Diego realized it immediately of course. He was too smart, too observant, not to have noticed. "Felipe, you heard that!"

He continued to stare at his feet. _Don_ Diego grasped his shoulder. "Felipe, look at me!" Felipe reluctantly raised his head. "You can hear, can't you?"

"That's wonderful!" _Don_ Diego dragged him into a tight hug. Felipe felt the moment his friends realized that Felipe had been hiding it from him. The betrayal in those blue eyes hurt when Diego pushed him away so he could see his face. "Why didn't you let us know?"

Felipe struggled to explain with signs. _Don_ Diego always understood him better than anyone. "Because of my father . . . Felipe my father would never treat you differently if he knew you could hear. He loves you. We all do."

Some part of Felipe believed him. But another part, the one that hated change, just couldn't. _Don_ Diego seemed to understand that Felipe was feeling overwhelmed. "We'll talk of this later. Come on."

But for some reason _Don_ Diego turned and stared at the fox.

A short time later, after all the other servants had gone home for the night, a bandit broke in the de la Vega _hacienda_. It was up to him to protect the _hacienda_ and _Don _Diego! Felipe took a few steps back struggling to think of what he could use against the nimble bandit when the masked-man smiled and said, "It's me, Felipe!"

It was _Don _Diego beneath the mask. "I'm pleased to see it's so effective."

His friend informed him that he was wearing a disguise to protect their friends from governmental retribution. Was _Don_ Diego actually talking about rebellion? While _Don_ Diego talked about getting a cape, Felipe started worrying about _Don_ Alejandro. Not only would the poor man find out that his son was now leading a rebellion, he would be informed that Felipe had been lying to him for years.

Felipe felt foolish asking Diego about it. But the older man simply placed his hands on Felipe's shoulders and squeezed. "Without knowing it, you may have done us all a great service." Felipe allowed his face to speak of his confusion. "We'll keep the cave a secret," _Don _Diego said. "And your hearing."

Relief overtook Felipe. It was followed by concern when _Don _Diego pulled out a beautiful sword from the scabbard at his waist. "This will be our secret, too. Not even my father knows of this. It was given to me by Sir Edmond Kendall, my fight master."

Felipe knew that _Don _Diego was good with the blade. He'd talked about it in his letters. Felipe touched the beautiful blade and then quickly removed his fingers. "Sharp," Diego said. "Strong, too."

Apparently Diego was not even planning on telling _Don_ Alejandro about his decision to rebel against the _alcalde_'s tyranny. How was he going to keep people from guessing that _Don_ Diego and this masked bandit were one and the same?

"I must convince people that I'm weak willed," Diego answered, walking away from Felipe. He was quickly overcoming the habit of making sure that he looked Felipe in the face when he talked to him. "A bit too studious."

Felipe nodded, believing that _Don_ Diego could easily convince people he was too studious. Many people in the _pueblo_ didn't even understand why _Don_ Alejandro had wanted Diego to go to university.

"Like the fox that is timid and frail, so do I share his instinct for survival." Felipe's jaw dropped as _Don_ Diego quickly put out each candle in the candelabra by using his sword. "Justice will be ours," _Don_ Diego proclaimed.

Felipe felt the excitement down to his toes. He knew life would change when _Don_ Diego came home, but he hadn't expected this kind of revolution. He expected the familiar anger, the familiar feeling of rejection that always bubbled up in him when change occurred. But he felt none.

This was change even Felipe could approve of. Everything was going to be much better now that _Don_ Diego was home.

They managed to get _Don_ Alejandro and Victoria out of jail that very night. But then the _alcalde_ raised the ante and arrested _Don_ Alejandro on a capital crime. And Felipe had to remind _Don _Diego that he couldn't save him as himself.

And Zorro flew down onto the _pueblo_ and became something more than a man to the people of Los Angeles.

ZZZ

"From what I've seen, it's not going to be such an easy task."

That buffoon sergeant's words were still echoing in the _alcalde_'s ears days after that Zorro humiliated him. As much as he hated to admit it, Ramone knew that the imbecile was right. Killing Zorro would not be an easy task. Fortunately, he had some of the best trained soldiers in the territory.

He strolled into his office and noticed that Corporal Santiago was sitting in a chair, his feet propped up on his desk. "Corporal!" he snarled.

The man simply smiled and settled into his seat more. "I want a transfer, _Alcalde_."

Santiago was only a corporal, but the man knew where bodies were buried, and had a streak of cruelty that Ramone admired. Add that to having no conscience, and he had been a perfect addition to Ramone's soldiers. He'd not even blinked when Ramone had hinted at killing Mendoza as a way of moving up the ranks.

Now the man wanted a transfer. "Why?"

Santiago laughed. "That's easy." He made a Z in the air with his finger.

"We can kill Zorro!"

"Can we?" Santiago asked. "He's already working his way deep into the minds of the soldiers here. They talk about him as if he's not even human."

"So—"

"So," Santiago replied. "Soldiers are horrible at fighting fear. Villains, Indians, law breakers, they can handle. But not fear. These soldiers won't be able to fight worth anything soon. Those that will still be able to fight will leave soon after me. It's over, Ramone."

Ramone felt his dreams crumbling in his hands. Money would give him power, and Los Angeles was a gold mind of unprotected money. "The money that we can make here—"

"Is gone, Ramone." Santiago stood, stretched and scratched his belly. "It left as soon as the people got a hero. If you were smart, you'd leave to."

Ramone slammed fist down on the desk. "Never! It would look like that bastard drove me out."

Santiago nodded and then pointed at his transfer slip. The amount of spelling mistakes was atrocious. Ramone hesitated for a moment, thinking about denying the request but knowing that he couldn't. Santiago had not been in Los Angeles long, but he knew a little too much about Ramone's business.

He threw the paper at him and watched the man leave without even offering a salute. Grinding his teeth, he stood and began to pace. He had to find a way to kill Zorro. And quickly.

Out the window, he saw the de la Vegas arrive. The young one, _Don_ Diego, almost fell off his horse as he dismounted. Ramone rolled his eyes. And to think, a few days ago he'd been afraid that _Don _Diego's homecoming would change things in Los Angeles.

What a silly thought!

ZZZ

Epilogue:

Doctor Hernandez remembered Diego de la Vega as a small boy. He'd been a toddler when _Don_ Alejandro and _Doña _Elenabrought him to Los Angeles. He'd gotten to know the family well during _Doña_ Elena's illness. He had been able to do little but ease her suffering, but the de la Vagas hadn't turned their anger to him as so many did when a loved one was dying. Hernandez understood the grieving's rage, but it was rough on his soul.

Oddly enough, he'd gotten to know young Diego more than his father. Diego was present for every exam, asking all kinds of questions, helping when he could and staying out of the way when he couldn't. The boy's mind had been remarkable, and Hernandez had gladly loaned medical text books to him.

Then Diego had shown up one night with a batch of cactus spines on his backside. Pain had shown in his eyes, but he'd barely hissed as the doctor removed them. He carefully listened to his instructions on taking care of the wound and asked a few questions.

As he was leaving, Diego stopped and turned to face him. "Can we please not tell my parents?"

Hernandez had been surprised. "Why not, Diego? I admit you were being a bit foolish, but than boys often are."

Diego had squared his shoulders and looked years older than he should. "Mother worries too much, and Father worries about her. He doesn't need to worry about me, too."

"Diego, Fathers are going to worry."

"Please."

Man and boy studied each other. Hernandez decided to keep the secret. It was a small wound. "You must promise me that you will keep it cleaned. If it gets infected—"

"I will do everything you say, Doctor," Diego promised and Hernandez believed him. And somehow Diego managed to extract that same promise from Hernandez every time he needed his services. Fortunately, they had all been the normal bumps and scrapes of a young boy testing his limits while exploring the world.

When Diego returned home from university a quiet young man, Hernandez had thought nothing of it. After all, boys do grow up to be young men, and they have to leave behind play. But then he began to notice small things.

Like how often Diego caught colds. He never came to the good doctor for cold remedies but then Diego had studied medicine almost as much as him. But young Diego had usually fought off most illnesses, even those outbreaks that struck almost everybody else in Los Angeles.

There were times that he noticed Diego showed signs of muscle fatigue and strain. An occasional limp when no one was watching. No one but Hernandez.

The good doctor was also a student of the human body. He noticed what others apparently didn't. Diego's muscles were well-defined: too well-defined for a man who did little more than read books and perform scientific experiments all day.

Which was why he wasn't really surprised on the day he realized that _Don_ Diego was Zorro.

The gaping wound on the back of Diego's neck told its own story. Hernandez wasn't often in the _pueblo_. He usually was traveling from home to home to offer care to the sick and injured. But he'd heard about the death of Zorro. About the fall he'd taken from the bluffs. A fall that would kill most men.

Fortunately, it looked as if Zorro had survived.

"That was quit a nasty fall you had," he said as he put away his bandaging. There was a hint of anger in his words, but he didn't think Diego heard it. What would they have done if Zorro died? What would they have done if Diego died? Both were an important part of the _pueblo_, and now Hernandez knew that the people of Los Angeles would lose them both with the death of a single man.

"I was trying to follow my father to Monterey when the mare threw me," Diego lied.

Hernandez let the lie pass without comment. He fought a brief but powerful battle with himself. Diego needed to know the truth, even though it would cause him to leave his sick bed. Hopefully the young man knew his limits. "I hope _Don_ Alejandro can speak directly to the governor. The _alcalde _is bearing down more on the people now that Zorro's gone."

Diego looked confused. Hernandez wasn't surprised. The fact Felipe had only sent a message to him in the last hour spoke of the time it had taken for Diego to climb up that bluff and get to the _hacienda_. There had been no time for gossip. "Gone? What do you mean gone?"

The doctor and the friend in him wanted to remain quiet, but the _pueblo_ needed Zorro. As soon as he was able. "Haven't you heard? Zorro is dead."

Diego looked devastated. "Oh, no!"

Hernandez stated what they both already knew. "You were lucky that blow to your head didn't kill you, Diego." This secret was so much bigger than cactus spines and bruised ribs. But Hernandez knew he would keep it.

Stubborn Diego, already chomping at the bit to get back out to saving his people, asked, "How long will I have to stay like this?"

"A few more days." He ached to speak freely, but he knew Diego didn't want him to know. He was protecting him just as much as was protecting everyone else. Hernandez could at least help him rest. "Possibly more." It would give Diego some leeway on proclaiming a full recovery.

"Whatever you do afterwards, stay away from horses," he joked as he headed towards the door.

"Thank you, Doctor," Diego said. Always polite.

Doctor Hernandez leaned against the wall outside of Diego's room and listened as the young man complained about not being to help. He remembered the _pueblo _in the years that Diego was gone. He remembered the cloud of despair that had hung over every person in Los Angeles. Then he remembered Diego coming home, and Zorro arriving to give the people hope.

And even though the _alcalde_ was still evil, atrocities were performed in the name of "order", everyone in Los Angeles now dreamed of a better day. Believed it would one day arrive.

Standing straight, Hernandez straightened his jacket and thanked God for the day Diego came home from Spain.

The End

Thank you for reading!


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